Take yourself back to 1978 - you're sitting in your mom's basement with a pork pie hat propped above your brow as The Specials' self-titled debut spins round the turn table. Did you ever imagine this band would be together 35 years in the future, jamming "Do the Dog" and "Monkey Man" in front of a hop-heavy crowd of 20-somethings at a major music festival? So much has changed in music throughout the past three and a half decades, however, the ska-founding revolutionaries The Specials have not.

We caught the well-dressed, two-toned crew down in Austin, Texas where they well-deservedly occupied a major time-slot during Hype Machine's Hype Hotel. We all have a little bit of ska running in our blood, and it's all thanks to these fine forefathers.

All you punks and all you teds National Fronts and natty dreads Mods, rockers, hippies and skinheads Keep on fighting 'til you're dead Who am I to say? Who am I to say? Am I just a hypocrite, Another piece of your bullshit Am I the dog that bit The hand of the man that feeds it? Do the dog, do the dog Do the dog, not the donkey Do the dog, don't be a jerk Do the dog, what you waiting for? Do the, do the, do the, do the dog Everybody's doing the dog A a a a a a a oh Take your F. A. aggravation Fight it out on New Street Station Master racial masturbation Causes National Front frustration Who am I to say? To the IRA To the UDA Soldier boy from UK Am I just a hypocrite? Another piece of your bullshit Am I the dog that bit The hand of the man that feeds it? Do the dog, do the dog Do the dog, not the donkey Do the dog, don't be a jerk Do the dog, what you waiting for? Do the, do the, do the, do the dog Do the, do the, do the, do the dog Do the, do the, do the, do the dog Everybody's doing the dog This is the dawning of a new era This is the dawning of a new era I met a girl from area three She told me that she worked in a chicken factory This is the dawning of a new era By two o'clock we were 'Brahms & Lisst' I had to walk her home through area six This is the dawning of a new era Sticks and stones may break my bones In area six they throw bottles and bricks and kicks This is the dawning of a new era I climbed the stairs to the fourteenth floor The key won't fit the door This is the dawning of a new era She said she had a beautiful flat We had to sleep on the mat This is the dawning of a new era Woke up and thought, "This ain't exactly heaven" Oh shit, this is area seven This is the dawning of a new era This is the dawning of a new era This is the dawning of a new era It's is so boring, it's a new era - I'm sorry that it took us so many years to get here, right? Your mum and dad produced you and you're here, twenty-something years later. Bernie Rhodes knows Don't Argue! Why must you record my phone calls? Are you planning a bootleg LP? You said you've been threatened by gangsters Now it's you, that's threatening me You can't fight corruption with con tricks They use the law to commit crime And I dread, dread to think what the future will bring When we're living in gangster time Bernie Rhodes knows Don't Argue! Don't interrupt while I'm talking Or they'll confiscate all your guitars And catch 22 says if I sing the truth They won't make me an overnight star Don't offer us legal protection They use the law to commit crime I dread to think what the future will bring When we're living in real gangster time Bernie Rhodes knows Don't Argue! Na na na na Na na na na Thanks very much. Thanks very much. Thanks very much. Thanks very much. Two, four, one, two... Big! Big monkey man. Aye aye aye, aye aye aye Everybody huggin' up a big monkey man Aye aye aye, aye aye aye Everybody huggin' up a big monkey man I never saw you, I only heard of you Yes, you're huggin' up the big monkey man I never saw you, I only heard of you Oh huggin' up the big monkey man It's no lie, it's no lie Everybody huggin' up a big monkey man It's no lie, it's no lie Everybody huggin' up a big monkey man Now I know that, now I understand Yes you're turning a monkey on me Now I know that, now I understand Oh you're turning a monkey on me Aye aye aye, aye aye aye Everybody huggin' up a big monkey man Aye aye aye, aye aye aye Everybody huggin' up a big mon-monkey man - Austin, Texas! Austin, Texas! La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la Hoo hoo hoo I was on my way to Banbury Cross, Then I see a monkey upon a white horse With a ring on his finger, bells on him toes Sing a little song, wherever he go 'Cos he's a monkey, he's a monkey A weedy weedy weedy little monkey man Aye aye aye, aye aye aye Everybody huggin' up a big monkey man Aye aye aye, aye aye aye Everybody huggin' up a big monkey man - I got you, yes? Got you. You ready to start dancing now? - No. - All right, fuck it. I'm going to dance anyway. I'm just going to dance because I like dancing. So you can follow me if you want to. Just a lovely, little dance track. - Check your panties. You're working at your leisure to learn the things you'll need The promises you make tomorrow will carry no guarantee I've seen your qualifications, you've got a PhD. I've got one art O level, it did nothing for me Working for the rat race You know you're wasting your time Working for the rat race You're no friend of mine You plan your conversation to impress the college bar Talkin' about your Mother and Daddy's Jaguar Wear political T-shirt and sacred college scarf Discussing the world's situation just for a laugh ha ha ha You'll be working for the rat race You know you're wasting your time Working for the rat race You're no friend of mine Working for the rat race You know you're wasting your time Working for the rat race You're no friend of mine Working at your leisure to learn the things you don't need The promises you make tomorrow carry no guarantee I've seen your qualifications, you've got a PhD. I've got one art O level, it did nothing for me Working for the rat race You know you're wasting your time You're working for the rat race You're no friend of mine Just because you're nobody It doesn't mean that you're no good Just because there's a reason It doesn't mean it's understood It doesn't make it alright It doesn't make it alright It's the worst excuse in the world And it, it doesn't make it alright Some people think they're really clever To smash your head against the wall Then they'll say, "You got in my way" They really think they know it all It doesn't make it alright It doesn't make it alright It's the worst excuse in the world And it, it doesn't make it alright Just because you're a black boy Just because you're a white It doesn't mean you've got to hate him It doesn't mean you've got to fight It doesn't make it alright - Come on everybody, let's hear you. It doesn't make it alright It's the worst excuse in the world And it doesn't make it alright It doesn't make it alright - Come on, let's hear you and see you all. It doesn't make it alright It's the worst excuse in the world And it doesn't make it alright Just because you're nobody - Can you help me out with this one here right now? I just want you to do one little thing. Join him. Follow him. Special! Special! I'm going out tonight I don't know if I'll be alright Everyone wants to hurt me Too much danger in the city I have to carry a knife Because there's people threatening my life I can't dress the way I want I'm being chased by the national front Concrete jungle, animals are after me Concrete jungle, it ain't safe on the streets Concrete jungle, glad I got my mates with me Special! I won't fight for a cause I don't want to change the law Leave me alone, just leave me alone I want to get out on my own I'm walkin' home tonight I only walk where there's lots of lights In the alleys, in the doorways They shove the bottle at your face Concrete jungle, animals are after me Concrete jungle, it ain't safe on the streets Concrete jungle, glad I got my mates with me Special! Okay I'm going out tonight I don't know if I'll be alright Everyone wants to hurt me Too much danger in the city I have to carry a knife Because there's people threatening my life I can't dress the way I want I'm being chased by the national front Concrete jungle, animals are after me Concrete jungle, it ain't safe on the streets Concrete jungle, glad I got my mates with me - Thanks very much. - Warning, warning, nuclear attack! Warning, warning, nuclear attack! All the way from North Korea Nuclear weapon coming down In the USA Nuclear! Weapon! Nuclear! Nuclear weapon All the way from North Korea The man in black he told me The latest Moscow news about the storm across the Red Sea They drove their ballpoint views But I'm the man in grey, I'm just the man at C & A And I don't have a say in the war games that they play Warning, warning, nuclear attack! Warning, warning, nuclear attack! - Nuclear weapon - Massive destruction! The Mickey Mouse badge told the Ayatollah at his feet Drink your oil you schmuck, we'll eat our heads of wheat But I'm the man in grey, I'm just the man at C & A And I don't have a say in the war games that you play - Warning, warning, nuclear attack! Warning, warning, nuclear attack! Nuclear attack, weapon of mass destruction! Each day I walk along this lonely street Trying to find, find a future New pair of shoes are on my feet 'Cos fashion is my only culture Nothing ever change, oh no Nothing ever change People say to me just be yourself It makes no sense to follow fashion How could I be anybody else I don't try, I've got no reason Nothing ever change, oh no Nothing ever change I'm just livin' in a life without meaning I walk and walk, do nothing I'm just livin' in a life without feeling I talk and talk, say nothing Nothing ever change, oh no Nothing ever change I walk along that same old lonely street Still trying to find, find a reason Policeman comes and smacks me in the teeth I don't complain, it's not my function Nothing ever change, oh no Nothing ever change I'm just livin' in a life without meaning I walk and walk, do nothing I'm just livin' in a life without feeling I talk and talk, say nothing I'm just living in a life without feeling I walk and walk, do nothing Stop your messin' around Better think of your future Time you straighten right out Creating problems in town Rudy, a message to you, Rudy, a message to you Stop your foolin' around Better think of your future Time you straighten right out, whoops Else you'll wind up in jail Rudy, A message to you, Rudy, A message to you We've got Mr. Trevor on trombone. Blow, Trevor, blow! Stop your messin' around Better think of your future Time you straighten right out Creating problems in town Rudy, A message to you, Rudy, A message to you, Rudy Oh, it's a message to you, Rudy Yeah, a message to you, Rudy A message to you, Rudy Yeah, a message to you, Rudy Oh, A message to you, Rudy A message to you, Rudy A message to you. Is this the in place to be? What am I doing here? Watching the girls go by Spending money on... Jump jump jump jump Jump jump jump jump jump Jump jump jump jump Jump jump jump jump Sleep all day It's the only way I'm a parasite I creep about at night Nite Klub, is this the in place to be? Nite Klub, what am I doing here? Nite Klub, watching the girls go by Spending money on... I don't work 'Cos I don't have to I don't have to work There's no work to do Nite Klub, I'm a member of the Nite Klub Nite Klub, a fully paid up member of the Nite Klub - Sir Horace Gentleman on bass. Are you ready to jive? Start dancin'! I won't dance in a club like this All the girls are sluts And the beer tastes just like piss I'm a parasite I creep about at night Yes, I'm a member of the Nite Klub A fully paid up member of the Nite Klub Nite Klub, is this the in place to be? Nite Klub, what am I doing here? Nite Klub, watching the girls go by Spending money on beer - One more and we can go home now. We can go home now. Thank you very much. You've been absolutely beautiful. Most of you, some of you have been really fuckin' ugly, I must admit, like really fuckin'...feel sick, that ugly. Thank you very much.Too Much Too Young You've done too much Much too young You're married with a kid When you could be having fun with me Oh no, no, no. No more picnic You've done too much Much too young You're married with a son When you should be having fun with me We don't want, we don't want We don't want no more picnic, no, no, no Ain't he cute? No, he ain't He's just another burden On the welfare state You've done too much Much too young You're married with a kid When you could be having fun with me Oh no, no, no way, No more picnic. No, no, no. Call me immature Call me a poser I'll spread manure in your bed of roses Don't want to be rich Don't want to be famous But I'd really hate to have the same name as you You've done too much Much too young You're married with a kid When you could be having fun with me Give me birth control, we no want no picnic. No, no, no. You've done too much Much too young Chained to the cooker currant buns for tea Oh no, no, no. No more picnic. No, no, no. Ain't you heard of the starving millions Ain't you heard of contraception Really want a program of sterilization Take control of the population boom In your living room Keep a generation gap Try wearin' a cap. - Thanks a lot. Bye.

Artist Bio

If you were 12 in 1979, the Specials were easy peasy lemon squeezy the greatest band on the planet. The sort of band you can't quite imagine not existing before. Of course, style over substance is any easy sell in the pop charts, and you have to assume that the vast majority of the millions of catalogue rude boy clones who cat walked the shithole of Britains high streets over the following few years were fashion victims of the lowest order (check Stereotypes or Do Nothing for the bands response). The difference being that, perfectly packaged as they were, the Specials were substance wrapped in checkerboard. Who else could mention the Irish Republican Army and the Ulster Defence Association in a dance track? It turns out I, and millions of others, nailed our colours to the right mast at the time, and try as I might I still can't find a single chink in the armour of The Specials legacy.

First, they looked fucking great. If you weren't there, Britain was transformed into a mail order version of The Wailin Wailers album cover almost overnight, though it probably didn't know it at the time. Before the birth of the woeful sports casual, the working class dressed up for the weekend and the easily attainable and striking evocation of mid 60's Jamaica was too irresistible for those who founds punks sartorial alienation just that bit too alienating.